


Thugs and Cursed Souls

by RedlaSunShowers029



Category: A Choice with no Regrets - Fandom, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: (later on anyways), Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Cat!Armin, Cat/Human Hybrids, Fluff, M/M, Mildly descriptive mawplay, Mouse!Eren, Mouse/Human Hybrids, Possible side Isabel/Farlan, cat and mouse au, micro/macro
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-17
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-03-30 22:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3954145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedlaSunShowers029/pseuds/RedlaSunShowers029
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The outcome of a particular band of thugs finding and taking in a cat mouse on their own, trying to untangle the mysteries behind the two from their strange antics to their peculiar bond with one another to the almost humanlike aura surrounding the two...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. They're Onto Us...

**Author's Note:**

> I noticed there weren't many fics out there that involved both my favorite ship and my favorite trio, and so I couldn't help myself and decided to hack this one up. Essentially, this is my excuse to write this animal AU I had in my brain for a while and only just now got to writing. I know it's a little cliche, though there are some storylines I cannot resist- fantasy-akin cat/mouse AUs being one of them.

Small paws ran at top speed, tail puffed and nervous. Five minutes since they'd gone out, only five minutes, and already trouble was brewing. "Hey! Cat! Come here!" A chorus of raucous commands met the feline's ear, struggling to keep up with the flow of various shrieks and taunts. _Please- I just want to be alone... Let me care for my rodent on my own...!_ It was difficult running with a mouse's tail dangling from salivating jaws, especially while the urge to chew was this prominent... He refused with all his might, swore on his pounding heart he wouldn't do such things... But how was the tiny creature faring inside his jaws? He could feel every twitch, every little movement, and none seemed in fear so supposedly he should be alright... But oh how difficult it was to run with the little pet shop-raised creature in his jaws. They'd been in such a place for quite a while then, grown accustomed to each other over the years, planned an escape together. Perhaps his original intention had been to snatch up the creature when he could get him, though the moment he realized he bore the same curse as he they'd gotten along fine. 

Only idiots and "foolish mortals" got such a taste of magic, or ones who passed by at the wrong intervals. Oh, passing by such an area resulted in some hardships- how hard was it, exactly, to get caught in such things as that?! It shattered his nerves to remember he falling vials landing on his head, the very thing that so densely concealed the human within him. During the day, he was indeed a cat, and same for the mouse, but when the final light of the various towns began to flicker off over time they returned more of less back to normal (though it seemed the mouse's size didn't change in even an inch's increment), back to the human beings they once were before the dastardly incident.

But then, it became habit to discover ways to free the rodent from his tiny glass-enfolded prison, carrying him around and more or less attempting to allow him some freedom. The way they'd worked it out, perhaps, wasn't the most orthodox and perhaps not the safest, though he tried as he might to keep from harming him in this location: his jaws. Where else, after all, could he smuggle him out during the day? He didn't have a single pocket, and lugging around a bag would look highly suspicious.

Shouts got louder, even a couple objects hurling into his path, hoping and praying no footsteps would get close enough- it was always risky enough in this place, in the sewer of a place they sought refuge in when they could. A small and devastating place for humans, though there were a couple who lived in this underground city of sorts, only able to go towards he surface when dangers slid beneath their shadowy depths and allowed them passage. In these places, gigantic beasts terrorized the areas, lethality varying in cunning and physical skills of the roaring demons. Fortunately, not many, and even better they refused to attack animals. And yet there was always the possibility of reek of the humans embedded deep down inside their animal bodies being whiffed out by a good predatory nose- in most cases, it was better not to risk it.

"How do things look out there, Ar?" came the mouse's voice from deep within his maw, slightly tense from what he could feel inside his jaws. A small perturbed grunt answered him best it could, his own fur bristling and ears all too alert for any oncoming danger. 

"Nock wehl." His speech slurred from inability to move his tongue, trying to find an efficient escape route from the humans chasing, distant yet a formidable threat to the pair of unlikely companions. The mouse rolled over on his barbed tongue, head tilted up at the roof of his mouth. It wasn't nearly as unnerving as one might assume for a rodent like himself: not when you had a softie of a cat like the one he was with, anyways. 

"They found out you got me out, didn't they? Damnit- should've seen this coming. Now they're going to try and chase you until you're all out of breath and can't move another inch..." The rodent placed a paw of a hand on the slick surface beneath him, emerald eyes focused out at whatever he could see from the cat's barely parted jaws. "Sorry about this, Ar. Know you don't particularly enjoy this little, er... 'Smuggling' method." He'd known the cat well enough to understand his opposition on eating anything live (dead meat was of another branch of mind, as it was essentially a life wasted leaving it there), and this was dead-center the border of that.

"Ick thihhn." Only a couple vibrations met him, quite a bit confused by the slurred, nearly incoherent pattern of his speech. "Woulhf happeh anywhouahs. I wasnk gohna hleave you there." Every time he tried to speak without jostling him around so, it sent various mistranslations and words that weren't quite so, meaning more attention needed to be given to the feline. Even from the location he could tell things weren't going well outside, with the shouts not entirely muted even to one within the cat's mouth.

"Armin- just relax, and try to figure out how to get away from them. Things won't get any better until you do, and it's no use trying to talk to me right now- I can't understand a meow of it. Concentrate on escaping before communication." In spite of himself, the mouse gave a small, understanding pat to the feline's tongue. "I trust your judgement, buddy. You don't need to worry too much about me."

It wasn't too long until the footsteps disappeared into nothingness, the little shop all too far off from what their sense could entail. Yes, they'd finally managed to get the humans out of the way. They were only a far away memory, and the thought of never having to return the little mouse relieved him. As long as he was alive and breathing, no one was going to hurt his little companion. The rodent was his comrade, his partner in crime, his best friend. Call it odd to think things of such fond and loving things towards a creature normally considered nothing but a mere morsel, though he felt it strongly. _Might as well look out one last time and make sure no one else is around..._

Yellow ears pricked up, searching and scanning for any sort of sound, though alas he found not the slightest frequency to denote the presence of another lurking in the shadows, eager for a chance to pounce. It wasn't until it was practically upon them that he sensed anything it seemed, looking in the creature's direction to find a pair of outstretched hands reaching out and grabbing the feline by his middle. Struggling was difficult with the mouse in his mouth- heck, how was he supposed to hide the poor rodent now, much less their secret?!- though he attempted in much lighter ways to escape, claws sinking into the cream-colored flesh around him. "Ay, ay, easy lil kitty! I'm not gonna hurt'cha, promise!" The quirky grammar of the person in question was mildly amusing to the sand-colored feline, looking up in a worried yet curious fashion to see who'd captured him.

The figure was draped in orange, a small tuft of orange here and there unfurling at the ends of each sleeve. His own cerulean eyes hit those of one who seemed to be a young girl, eyes of a color similar to his own companion's meeting his gaze. From what he could pick up from scent and simple observation, there was quite an extent of vim and vigor igniting in her very core, this time being no different from what he assumed to be times and times of the same energy. An explosion of red hair characterized his captor, ruffled and sticking up messily in various different places, each end tied off into relatively thick pigtails. A small, circular pendant dangled in his face, trying to resist the urge to bat at it. _Dangit- I've just got to stay focused right now... First chance I get I'll make a run for it._ "Told'ja I could catch 'em, Far! 'Ja really doubt me?" 

The cat's eyes looked up towards the path of the redhead's discovering why he'd gotten no clue of her approach: it appeared there were two other shapes hanging from the ceiling of the passageway, wearing some sort of complex harness he'd never seen before, though heard of from several other creatures. "C'mon down 'ere- he's pretty tame!" Even through this, it was obvious to them the claws raking into her bare arms, but the pair watching from above knew her well enough to know there was nothing to get her away from the feline in her arms. It wasn't long until they decided it'd be best to join her, cords shooting down, landing directly beside her. A now very nervous Armin slurped up the tail of the rodent, looking around at the other two humans and hoping they wouldn't notice.

"You probably terrified the poor thing, Isa. That's not how you're supposed to catch a cat." The voice was that of a man's, looking up into eyes similar to his own in coloration and expression, a hand smoothing back upward-pointed locks of cream-colored hair. The man was decked out in a white shirt and navy vest, a small navy ribbon tied around his neck. From the mindset he could pick up, the person was similar to his type in informational processing, a calm, concise intellectual who wasn't afraid to show a strand or two of emotion- in this case, contemplation, possible worry, hidden yet strong curiosity. Hell, it seemed as if somehow, they already knew what was up, as if they could tell the cat before his eyes wasn't an accurate shell of the soul inside... Better to keep a steady eye on him if he wished to keep their true identities hidden. 

"Can we keep 'em? C'mon- can we keep 'em, Big Brother?" The persistent voice echoing above his head wasn't at all pleasant, ears flicking backwards in complete and utter annoyance. Perhaps there was some sort of charismatic aura around the girl, something that almost made him want to stay... And yet, he had a feeling the trio surrounding him wouldn't take kindly to his little friendship with the mouse tucked away inside his jaws. Humans normally kept cats as companions perhaps, though in some cases he knew the sole purpose was to hunt down and kill various creatures thought of as nothing as pests by their keepers- mice were among the most common meals they expected cats to dine upon. A shudder ran down the feline's spine at the thought. _They can take me in, make me stay, but if it endangers Eren, forget about it._ A tongue ran over the baffled rodent, trying to cue him to remain silent. _I won't let anything happen to you..._

"I don't see why not, long as you're the one who volunteers yourself to care for him. We could use one to get rid of the vermin, I suppose," came the other man's lackluster reply. Once again, the yellow cat decided it best to look at his third accompanier. Not unlike his taller companion, the man wore a white, longer-sleeved shirt, a small leather vest covering his midsection. Aside from the harnesses they all appeared to wear, underneath that he could pick up the deep black of his pants, nervously looking up once again to get a better look at his face. A small prickle ran down the feline's spine at the sight of the gaze upon him: deep silver slits of eyes kept a cold stare on him, giving him the chills. It was one of a man who concealed himself in nothing but rigid apathy externally, and yet he could tell underneath that there was something more... Something very few people saw for what it was. Could the two beside him? He had the time nor desire to stick around long enough to find out, especially since it seemed he wished him to slaughter any smaller nuisances in the vicinity of their living space... _I'm not going to hurt him, and you can't make me... Slaughter all the mice you want, but this one's mine._

The rodent within his jaws understood little, seeing nothing in the hot, slimy abyss around him. Perhaps this was the way the cat worked it out, though it was difficult to comprehend the predicament upon them. Each and every word let him understand there were others, and from the height he experienced he could only assume someone had grabbed his furry friend. A single voice tripled to form three individuals from what he could tell, only giving small twitches at each and every lick in attempts of staying hidden. He heard the word "vermin" clear as day, and didn't want to know if the human considered mice to be such. Yes, even he knew how cats were raised to act, and he didn't want any of that brainwashing cleaning out the feline's moral code. Such a cat trying to eat him?! He banished such thoughts from his mind. _Come on, buddy... I'm sure you could find a way to evade this..._

Even at this point, he could tell the feline was having trouble avoiding them, ensnared too tightly in the redhead's grasp... Ears pricked up at the sound of a voice: "If we're taking him, we'll have to go on ahead back the way we came. It'll be a bit more risky since I doubt that cat enjoys the prospect of the gear. Come on, now- we'd better get going, for we've got a long way to go."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Do you really think this is going to work out?" Even in the cramped confines of the feline's mouth, he could Armin'd been caught and dragged back to whatever residence the trio occupied- and himself along with him. "Armin... You know we're dead meat if they find out. Typical humans would only think of us as evildoers who need to die... Hell, this is the Underground, isn't it?! That's why they didn't chase you any further, because they didn't want to tangle with any of the brutes down here. Yes, it's a pretty well-known place indeed. No sane person would try to get down here." The rodent flinched and cut himself off as another warm breath washed over him, tongue slicking him up further with saliva in the process of rolling around him, feline trying what he might to silence his companion. "Ugh... I wish you'd stop doing that." The rodent regained his focus, snapping back to a bothersome question gradually eating up his mind. "Hey, Armin... You don't think those three are criminals, do you? We're in deep shit if they are, you know..." 

Azure eyes glanced this way and that, looking out for the three in another room of the place. Would it be safe to carry the mouse towards such a place, though? He hoped so... It was worth a shot, though, wasn't it? He took one last look at the trio, darted off into one hall, and allowed the mouse to fall out of his jaws with a trickle of warm saliva. The rodent indeed fell in a heap of sorts amongst the rank substance, shaking his fur dry of the slime before looking back at the cat, currently clearing his throat to respond to the mouse:

"You're in trouble either way. I get more than the sense one of them in particular doesn't fancy the idea of your kind, I'm betting you heard. Besides, the one that seems to be their leader said it was only alright for me to stay if..." The yellow feline gritted his teeth. "If I 'took care of the vermin' in this place." The cat paced around the tiny form, contemplating the solution for it all. "There are a couple things we could do, though none seem all too productive. We're going to have to give up something in this so they don't kill you. But what? We could reveal our secret, but it's like you said- they'd consider us violent wizards, like the brewers who got us like this. However, we could try something less risky, and compromise by giving them a sense we're friends. You know, that's probably the best idea- if they do that, we can get them to ditch us, we can run free, and we never have to be with them again!" The feline's ears flattened. "Though that girl doesn't seem so bad- I'm not sure what the older two would think, but I doubt she'd mind something like that... We might have to work on something else."

The mouse quirked an eyebrow. "What- do you like this human or something? Something about you seems reluctant to escape this place... Would it be possible you're afraid to hurt the poor kid's feeling, you softy?" 

The cat's ears reared back in embarrassment. "N-No! I'm just mentioning she's an obstacle to keep all this private- do you know what would happen if someone like that happened, do you?! We'd be a wreck, no one would be able to look us in the eye as animals again. This could really work, Eren, just long as we can find a way to either get them to keep off you or hightail it out of here. However, if they can accept you, it might be nice- I mean, we'd have enough food, wouldn't we? No more scrounging around in this dump to find what we want, just living far more easily than we've ever had it." The cat gave a small, pleasantly annoyed grumble. "And... Yeah, you're right. I am a bit worried I'm gonna hurt the kid if I try to run."

"But if they really are thugs, do you still plan to stay here with them? They'll eat you alive if they find your weak spots! And if they know about me..." The rodent let loose a shudder. "Let's just say I'll be in far worse condition than you. Just... T-Take it easy, though don't let your guard down here. I have rising suspicions we might be with a crowd of felons who'll rip us apart if given a reason-"

"I have no doubts they're criminals, though not every criminal is like that, Eren. I saw a knife on one of their belts, one that'd be all too useful against a person. And yet, I don't think most people in their right minds would hurt an animal out of the blue, and for a band of crooks they seem pretty clear and concise. I'm having a bit of trouble getting a read on the one I assume to be their leader, sure- but long as you stick by my side I'm sure we'll be alright." A massive-seeming furred head leaned down, giving the mouse a couple small licks, both to groom him and get off some of the excess saliva slathering him. "I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me while I'm still around. With that I'll promise. Hell, I'll _kill_ someone if I have to-" A small, nervous grin spread across the feline's face. "N-Not that I'm for the idea of attacking some poor soul unless I have to..." The rodent scampered up to his companion, nuzzling a tiny snout into the thick chest fur of the feline.

"I know, buddy." The mouse stood on the balls of his feet, front paws reaching up to ruffle the fur of the cat's chin. "Just relax your mind and put those ideas to work." A small, mischievous grin lit up the mouse's face. "I know you've got a few- even when things go to shit, you've always gotten something up your pelt to get us out of it. That's just your skill, isn't it? Being able to reason through every situation life hurls at you?"

The cat sidestepped, ears flicking backward in an almost flattered way. "Eren, quit it- you know I'm not all that. I'm nothing that you're not, really. I'm really not as useful as you're trying to say- I'm far less adept than all that. And even if I am, I get the sense we've got another brain against us- I got this sort of... Aura from the one of those thugs. I sense they've got some idea I'm not a normal cat, and well, he's right, isn't he? Neither of us really stay as close to our animal behaviors as we should in the presence of other humans, and so I doubt it's hard for a good mind to depict the souls beneath our pelts mentally. Just... I suppose I'm a bit worried over that. What if someone finds out about this...?" 

"They will if we stick around too long," Eren grumbled, stopping with his little rubs and sitting a few inches parallel to the cat. "Come on, Ar- would've thought you would've figured that out by now." Another small grin spread across his face. "I mean, with that brilliant mind of yours-" 

A small sigh escaped the feline's lips, rolling his eyes playfully. "Are you seriously going to flirt with me in that form?" Even in his annoyance, he wasn't unwilling to show the little creature his words had touched him somewhat. Perhaps in their older life, they were something like that- lovers, possibly, but such memories were discarded and replaced with a general friendship. He preferred not to dwell on them, though the feelings never truly went away... And yet he had to focus on what was going on at present. "Y-You're right, though- staying indefinitely is too risky. But perhaps just for a while? I'm just... Curious what it's like to be a human down here. It'd be interesting to see, don't you think? I have little doubts it's difficult having to live in a place like this, but we're animals like those considered as pets, not the human race... Well, not here, anyways. It's too risky with the Lurkers out..." The cat gave him a small bat without claws- just enough to playfully nudge him without hurting. "Besides, like I said, no one's going to get their paws on you... Aside from me, of course." The cat stood on his rear legs- something the feline did when preparing to make a speech of sorts. "Now, here's the idea I had..."

"What's so strange about the cat, exactly? Seems pretty normal to me, Far. 'Fraid I don't see the same things you do." The redhead remained beside her taller comrade, looking on somewhat curiously at his observation. There was something strange about the cat they'd picked up? But what? A bit of curiosity got to her, anticipating a response just as strange.

"I'm not sure what it is exactly, Isabel, but something seems a bit... Off." Once again, those broad gestures of his were coming back, his explanation more than slightly visual mingled with his observations. "Now listen, I have some evidence to point me to this." He quirked an eyebrow. "Did you see the tail of a rodent dangling from the cat's jaws? It was still moving- and not just dangling or swaying, I mean actually moving- as if the thing was still alive. From what I saw, he simply slurped it up, though I didn't see the cat try to chew the thing to pieces nor swallow. I assume from this the thing was still alive, and the cat himself seemed a bit tense and anxious, not as though it was afraid of being hurt but more of being found out."

A small giggle passed the redhead's lips, converting itself into a snort. "A cat? Friends with a mouse? Are ya sure yer feelin' alright?" These weren't things she ever though he'd try and explain to her, nor ones so illogical- of all things, it had to be one of the strangest things she'd heard come from his mouth. Hell, the very image humored her, shaking her head in a disbelieving fashion. "Nah, I think you're tired. A cat would never do somethin' like that- ya must've just seen it wrong."

"You'll see it someday or you won't," grumbled the older man. "Either way, I swear that's what I saw- you can judge for yourself whether it's credible or not. I tell no lies, simply the things I've witnessed..." Still rather annoyed with the redhead's simple dismissal of his observations. Perhaps they were insane, and yet... He was sure there had to be some truth to them... It wasn't long until he caught sight of the cat from the corner of his eye, along with the form of something... Smaller. From the way it was moving, it appeared to be just the right size to be a rodent. Slowly, gradually he turned around-

A brown mouse, barely visible from his location, scurried across the hall. From just the look in the creature's eyes, it appeared something was chasing, trying to attack the little rodent. _Perhaps I misjudged- seems as if something's scared the critter out of its wits. Nothing does that to a mouse like a cat, right? Damn, maybe I did see this wrong..._ Even still, something seemed off with even this display. The mouse was off, but where was the cat now? Had it lost interest in the running target? Seemed unlikely... It took him a second or two to think of the best solution for it, though he couldn't quite put a finger on it. _I should just watch and see what happens; if the cat chases it down, then the feline just wasn't ready to kill; but if it decides it better to do the same damn thing... Then something has to be up._ Squinting slightly, the strategist watched carefully as the tiny being scuttled past, a bristled yellow burst following closely behind, giving what seemed to be small, playful mews all the while. _Damnit- looks like I was wrong._ However, the chase seemed to conclude in the man's favor.

Eren was still as a statue upon a glance at the two humans. Every muscle tensed, his already quickened heartbeat practically pounded out of his chest... It seemed as though something about the closeness of the humans surprised him. Yes, he knew well of them, though never in his little life had he gotten as near as now. Sure, there were the ones who would pound and smack at the glass, the ones shouting on the streets, and yet he'd never been less than a good foot away and normally with a furry bodyguard to keep him from pain. At this point, barely inches, just a little away from the man's heel. No, things weren't going well- terribly, if truth were told. Generally, the rodent felt brave, could run up to any attacker with a spark of fiery determination and ferocity, but that was with other cats. With humans, however?! They were even harder to dodge, especially with the piercing intellect they bragged about. Even he could sense the mind behind the stare of curious azure eyes. One so powerful as to drive his mind from their plan, darting back at his top speed towards his "chaser," the cry of a name escaping his jaws. "ARMIN!"

"Errrren?" The cat stopped mid-step to look back, only to see his companion scatter in his direction. _This can't possibly be good... Eren, I thought you had this!_ Even still, he didn't have to heart to leave him alone, paws finding their way to the mouse, leaning down to look at him. _Maybe I can still make this look like I'm hunting him down... I thought this would work, damn it, Eren!_ The cat's ears reared back, shaking his head in mild disbelief, feeling a little guilty for his instant annoyance. _He's probably never been this close to a human before... Maybe I'm just a bit nervous is all. He's such a little handful... I've just got to hope he's got the sense to pull this off subtly... _Alas, it didn't seem to be the case, feeling the small tickle of small paws on his chin, cautiously snaking up to his lower jaw. "Eren- this isn't what you were supposed to do!" Tone gave off pure anxiety despite its pitch, completely unnoticed by the little creature attempting to get to a surprisingly safer location. "This doesn't look natural...!"__

__"I'm sorry, Ar, but there's no damned way I'm going to die by human hands! Not yet, not yet! There's still so much I want to see with you, and I'm not going to die for no damned reason beforehand! Come on, Armin... Please open up a little wider for me..." He'd gotten the cat to lower his head, desperately trying to get into the unorthodox sanctum provided for him by his friend. "They'll kill me if they find out, you know...!" No words passed in those final seconds, the cat sighing, allowing his confidant to clamber onto his tongue, and shutting the being into absolute darkness to the complete and utter confusion of his onlookers._ _

__A rather comical expression of horror mixed with bafflement lit the blonde's face. "Did that mouse just-" He couldn't utter another word, couldn't get anything else to surface in his complete and utter disbelief. It took a moment or toe before he could fully organize his thoughts, after the cat turned and trotted away into another room. "Alright, I didn't expect it to be as significant as all that. I was expecting it to be the cat to carry off the mouse, but no... So that damn rodent was behind this all that time? But how on earth did it get the cat to agree, and under what circumstances...?" Shocked, the strategist continued to mull it over to himself, verbally untangling his thoughts for a few moments._ _

__"I s'pose you were right after all, eh, Farlan? Almost did seem as though they were friends or somethin'. I wonder what prompted it, though... That's not a friendship ya normally see, 'specially round here." She, too, had her theories, though neither her nor her comrade could quite put their finger on what it was exactly that made up the supposed relationship with the rodent and feline._ _

__"Good god, what are we going to tell Levi...?" A hand supported his lowered head, fingers concealing his face and tugging at loose strands of hair. Even he knew their short comrade wouldn't take lightly to the idea of a cat protecting the very creatures that brought suffering and ruin they were all too accustomed to. "He'll be furious if that cat keeps the vermin from their deaths..."_ _

__Isabel looked on at him, debating how likely it would be the feline would keep his mind in a place like theirs. Like him, she knew all too well of the man's diligence and determination to keep the thoughts of death and decay away, as each bit of dust removed took away a bit of that horrendous image for him: what was viewed as obsessive cleanliness was a mere prevention of bringing back such memories of the debris that'd nearly claimed both her and even himself in times before the present. However, rodents and roaches were some of the most vile signs of such filth to him, meaning any creature of this type in a ten mile radius was slaughtered on sight. "The mouse won't survive long, either- y'know how Levi is. Whaddya suggest we do 'bout it?"_ _

__"If he doesn't have to know, we won't tell him," Farlan sighed. "He'll probably figure it out eventually and find out there's something wrong with the cat..." But what? There was more than just the protection aspect embedded in the creature's blood, more than just the stupidity or quirkiness of the furry creature- climbing into a cat's jaws was peculiar enough, but climbing into a _reluctant_ cat's jaws? Any stray he saw would've been delighted by such an "offer" from a tiny being, tearing them to shreds and swallowing them up the moment they got too close. Even still, the cat refused to do such things and, it seemed, allowed the thing to get in at its own pace. _Which one should we deal with first- the cat or the mouse? If we try to take the mouse out, it won't go well with the cat I'm sure, and then we'll have to witness the sort of wrath sheathed beneath that pelt... But if we try to take out the cat, we might lose the discovery of whatever peculiarity the two possess. Leave them alone, and they might unleash it on us, however...__ _

__Then another thought crept up into his mind, one he didn't want to consider. Even in the Underground they knew of the creatures hiding in the shadows, the Lurkers and others throughout. They were brutal, savage creatures that possessed some magic of their own to take in slaves of other humans and animals alike to do their bidding when needed. Such a fate was hell for both, and those who tried to avoid such a fate were off even worse, for those escaped and captures once more were eaten. I took the strength of multiple different species to ever pull off, and not unheard of for oddities like predator and prey to join forces to escape, hiding from the persistent monsters who'd look around from time to time for any escapees, in windows and sheds and alleyways for fugitives. Humans who kept their servants from them were generally given the same fate in the end... But was it worth moving them out? Would that do anything? Would they simply return, or draw the creature nearer? _Damn... What the hell are we gonna do about this?! If they are running from a Lurker and they're discovered here- what exactly are the odds of that...?_ Once again his eyes flitted to the pair, barely visible from the corner of the hallway, watching what he could of the feline's strange behavior._ _

__"You see what you've done? If you could've kept quiet and followed along- I saw what they were doing, they were watching you, not making a move towards you. I know how a mind like that works, for mine works in the same way as his. It was simple observation, Eren- you needn't run from an observer." The cat's tone once again radiated nothing but mild annoyance amongst a slew of anxiety, fear and concern, though it wasn't hard to tell he wasn't generally happy about the outcome of his little plan. "Now they know for sure there's something different about us..." Like a parent, the feline continued to scold the rodent, putting in as much concern and judgement as he could into the talk, carefully, worriedly looking around from time to time in hopes of catching sight of the humans before they did them. "How long are you expecting to last here if they have a sense of all this? I-I could've pretended t-to catch you, and carry you around in my mouth all the while still if they didn't know. But now..." A shudder ran up the feline's spine, fur bristling. "Just... Try to be more careful, alright?" Upon seeing the ever-present fearful expression across the mouse's face, the feline couldn't help but soften even more. "This isn't like you, Errrrren- what happened? Are you alright? I would've thought your charge them if you got the chance..."_ _

__"Damn right I would've. One move too close to me," the mouse grumbled, snapping his jaws, "and I would've bit the hell out of a finger or two. I know that wouldn't look good for a human, though I'm not afraid to use my natural weapons when I need to. Just..." The mouse trailed off with a sigh. "-I wasn't quite prepared to experience such a shocking size difference the first time around. You know I'm not used to humans..."_ _

__"It won't happen again, I presume?" the cat inquired, raising an eyebrow quizzically. "I understand you're unaccustomed to such a thing as this, and yet you must acknowledge the pressure you've placed on us for revealing such a trait. Friends with a mouse? That won't fly with this crew, especially the other one."_ _

__Eren raised a brow. Yes, now he remembered; there was indeed a third person along with them, one he'd seen disappear out the door from the protection of the cat's jaws. Where he was going the pair wasn't sure, though it seemed not to bother his other two comrades. He could only assume so much, yet quite a number of facts were apparent- just judging from the state of their quarter the little rodent assumed a person who'd accept no less than a clean living space. _I'd never expect a typical criminal to be so diligent at keeping their space spotless... Yes, Armin, I see what you mean.__ _

__"If we're lucky, the other two won't say a word of it to him. I have my doubts, and yet it's unlikely they'll say a word long as they want me around. Just... Try to be a normal mouse for a while, alright? Don't fight back, don't flee back to me, and _please_ don't try to run into my jaws again, alright? Until we get everything sorted out, I'm a predator to you. I won't hurt you, I promise, though you've got to act like I'm not someone you want to be around. I'm a cat, you're a mouse, right? I really hate to enact this, but..." The rodent could sense the quickened pulse, the complete disgust and terror at his own implications. "If we're going to stay undercover like this, we have to act like our own kinds- around them, at least. If we fail at that, they'll think we escaped from a pair of Lurkers or something..." _ _

__"Didn't we, sort of? I mean, I know the wizarding sort don't count to everyone, though even common Brewers are dangerous to humans." His words revised themselves at the sight of his companion's bewildered expression and curiously flicking tail. "Well, not escape, exactly- though we just barely got away from being their slaves... Or lunch. Wouldn't see it past them to eat a person, and as far as we know there have been more than a couple instances." A paw meddled with loose strands of chocolate fur. "Hey, Ar... Do you think we'll ever get to go back to living normally? Like how we were before all this?" A small sigh passed the rodent's jaws. "Damnit, I really don't want to be this small forever..."_ _

__The cat strode up to him, giving the rodent a playful lick. "I know, little guy. Though I'm not exactly sure how we could ever get things back to n-"_ _

__"I have a feeling we could use our supposed 'owners' to get us the serums we need to change back- after all, aren't we living with thieves if all this works out?" Eren cut him off with a squeak, ears twitching. "We got like this because we're not accustomed to such territories, though not many able-bodied people live in the Underground, no- you've gotta be tough if you want to survive down here. They all seem relatively old for the shortened life span of those who live down here, don't they? I mean, I know the girl's quite a bit younger, though still pretty well off alongside the other two. You don't just get like that here, from what we've seen... They've got to have _something_ to keep them going. I mean, otherwise they'd be like all the others- living in pure and utter garbage, with barely enough to eat. Hell, some people here don't have anything." Eren flicked an ear with his hind leg. "Essentially, you have to play dirty to stay above the nightmares provided by this dump. No one wants to live down here, so naturally the only people down here are thugs, right? And only the most successful get the reward of their lives."_ _

__"Of course I know all that, Eren- I just feel their skills needed won't be enough to take on a fully-grown Lurker... Besides," the cat chirred, straightening his posture in mild bashfulness, "I don't want to make them the swindlers of our own goods. Trickery for trickery- how do you even expect it to work?"_ _

__A small squeak of a chuckle echoed from the mouse's vocal chords. "Oh, buddy... I've got ways."_ _


	2. Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the cat's hopes, Eren's relationship with him is discovered by Levi... Though it leads to a much more assuring end than either he or Armin could've thought.

A curious sniff met the bowl of wet cat food in front of him, careful to avoid the gaze of any of the trio's members. He wouldn't question where they got it: he knew it'd probably been stole from somewhere, though at the moment, with the extent of time he'd been forced to keep the rodent within his jaws without a bite of food or drop of water, it wasn't as though the feline was going to turn down a meal... He was a cat for the time being, after all, and the sight of such a thing was enough to make him salivate. Cautiously, he stepped forward, tried his best to hide the regurgitation of the saliva-slathered, still-living rodent before lapping a bit of it up.

The pair cringed as they took note of the mouse below him, taking as little note to it as possible lest it draw attention to him- the last thing they wanted Levi to figure out was they'd taken in a rodent's friend opposed to hunter. _Not even now is he trying to devour the damned thing- they've gotta be friends for that to work out. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so determined to keep from eating him... But are they runaways from a Lurker, or is there more to this mystery?_ Even with the current situation and likelihood of such a thing, the possibility continued to torture the strategist, over and over again the fear replaying in his mind. _Either way, a cat with a mouse; that's still pretty suspicious._

It didn't take long for the cat to finish eating- the trio had left him with a hunger more ferocious than he'd initially realized- turning back to the three without a word and returning to the shadows of the place, forgetting his small friend for only a minute. Tentative eyes peered up at the band of thugs, taking not a moment more to retrieve the stranded rodent before he stirred too much to cause much trouble. By the time he'd finally gotten Eren into his jaws, he would've sworn he saw an eyebrow raise from the dark-haired man before him, looking on more than a little curiously behind that cold stare he typically bore. It wasn't so much the gaze as the aura: it was enough to tell him he'd better be wary if the little mouse wished to live on. From the edge of the darkness in the house, he heard a small murmur behind him: "Come on, Isabel- it's about time you got to bed." Only a small groan of protest met the thug's words, the feline watching from his location at the two.

He watch the man give her auburn locks a small ruffle, continuing to direct his intense gaze at the man as he wrapped a hand around her neck and legs, carrying her off in the direction of the bedrooms he'd seen but a few hours ago. _Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to follow..._ Trying not to attract much attention, the little cat padded across to them, hesitating only a moment until the redhead found herself being placed on top of some of the fluffiest blankets Armin had ever seen. For a cat who lived mainly in the alleyways of the Underground, anything looked comfortable compared to the hard, dirt ground, but that... That was something entirely different from what he'd expected. How even ones living in such a horrid place could ever get their hands on something like that- he couldn't help but jump onto the blankets the moment Isabel's head sunk into the pillow.

The covers shifted, cat glancing over only long enough to watch the man tuck the redhead underneath the blankets and give her a small kiss on the cheek. Silence followed, feeling firm yet gentle enough hands pick him up from under his belly, setting the feline beside her. "Looks like your friend came up here for you," Levi whispered, letting the feline stretch a bit with a yawn, exposing the mouse for a split second. Another eyebrow raised at this, only making action when the little creature scurried from the cat's maw and into the open. That was when a hand smacked down, only a second too late; no sooner had he attempted to attack the mouse and the cat's claws were out, giving a significant hiss as he drew his companion close.

A vat of confusion rose up from the general calm of steel irises, receiving a growl from Armin before he directed his attention back to his companion, giving the shuddering mouse a small, concerned lick and allowing him to nuzzle into his coat. "Be careful, Eren! I'm not going to be here all the time to guard your back- now you see what I had to show him?! Besides, that's the one who'd probably kill you if he got the chance...!" 

In a mild state of annoyance, Eren's circular ears flicked back, twisting around to groom his hazelnut fur back in place. "He'd find out anyways," the rodent grumbled, "so it's better if he finds out here with the girl over here. He's less likely to kill something in front of her, don't you think? Even if she's tough- I can _tell_ that much- she seems to be pretty good at this whole 'keeping creatures safe' thing from what reading I can get off of her. Seems good with animals from what I can tell- after all, she sure got you to follow her here-"

"She caught me- what was I supposed to do about it? Wasn't like there was anywhere to go off to! The redhead would've followed us no matter which way we went. Besides, Eren, that gear'd make it all too easy..." 

Levi listened intently to the little chirrs and squeaks from the two, only redirecting his attention as he saw the girl reach over and handle the mouse with an arm to spare wrapped around the cat's torso. Emerald eyes flickered down to the mouse's own green irises, another curious stare meeting the small creature tucked away carefully in the palm of her hand. "Yer friends, aren't ya?" Isabel inquired with a small whisper, gaze teeming with a hypnotizing sort of wonder. Even Eren couldn't help but think fondly of the thug's gesture- she was indeed gentle with little creatures- that was for sure. A normal person would've thought poorly of this enticingly strange symbiosis, thought them diseased or queer... And yet, from that simple fascinated gaze, it was obvious it was anything but that for the younger criminal. She was all too willing to accept it, to embrace the oddity they'd formed over the years. Sitting up a little, she allowed a gentle finger to nuzzle through the brown creature's sodden fur, resulting in the exhausted being's snuggling up in her gentle grasp. 

"Yes- that's what I thought." A little chuckle escaped her lips, hesitating before showing her comrade the mouse. "See, Brother? Not all mice are bad, huh? I think these two have got somethin' going with each other, n' it's pretty neat to watch." 

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Are you seriously saying that cat and mouse are friends?! It might've been a simple moment of mercy, little sister. I doubt the cat sees the creature in your palm as anything but mere sustenance... Though if you must, let it down beside the cat and we'll see if appetite gets the best of this little 'friendship' you assume it to be." He didn't make another move against Eren, simply sliding the rodent off her hand in front of the cat. 

Isabel's eyes flickered with an expecting gaze. "And what if they are companions? Surely ya wouldn't separate them? 'Cause if they're family, chosen or not, families stick together. That's what ya've always told me: no matter what, you don't separate a family." Her eyes widened, excitedly pointing a finger over at the pair. "Look! They really are together!"

The look she assumed was bursting with awe, and rightfully so- for it wasn't a moment after being set down that the mouse peeked out from under the cat's fluffy chest. Folded ears swiveled only a little to the left at the sound of the other room, before he finished up the task of cleaning out Eren's drenched coat. "I told'ja they'd get along! N' don't worry 'bout the mouse, either- I looked n' he's one of those pet shop breeds. Y'know, the ones with the strangely-colored eyes?" A finger pointed at her own eye in wonder. "Strange lil fella's got the same color ones as me. I've only snucken up to the surface a couple o' times, but I know enough about that lil pet shop to tell ya there are a couple like 'em. They're selectively bred, n' can't survive in the wild." 

Levi looked back at the rodent underneath Armin's careful paw. In that sense, it was a surprise to him, how a cat could be so cautious for a mouse's safety- the safety of a creature normally thought to be a meal for such a beast. But seeing the coddling performed by the cat was enough for even him to see it: it didn't matter to him whether they were opposing, typically enemy species- the mouse was his kit, and someone he was determined to protect to the end. Sort of like... His gaze flickered back and forth, from the tired-out redhead to the pair of unlikely friends. The relationship could've been one of the same. "So... Yer not gonna kill the mouse, are ya?" 

The man sighed, shaking his head. "I can't say the same for every little creature that sneaks its way into here, but I'll let that one live." Isabel murmured something incoherent with a small sigh, turning over into her pillow and snuggling down a little further into the downy blankets. Even at times like this, when things were rougher and they became more and more wanted by civilians, it was hard to even begin to clear out that soft spot he had for her. Perhaps the creature was a mouse, though there wasn't much he could do once she'd requested such a thing- how could he kill a creature she seemed to love dearly? That was another strange thing about her: how she could adore something she'd only met a couple hours ago. And yet, it was one of those things that held her charm even to humans, for even in the place she'd grown up the redhead remained a kind and gentle soul. As he left the room, he couldn't help but smile slightly at a small voice holding him to that promise:

"Thank you, Big Brother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Isabel's relationship was something I absolutely adored while reading the manga, so I thought I'd have a short but sweet chapter focusing a little bit on their relationship with one another before the plot starts to pick up speed.


	3. Not A Whisper of This to Anyone

"Don't you see what you've done?!" Armin hissed, trying to keep himself calm and collected despite the near heart attack he'd gotten from the rodent's exposure. "You would've been _mincemeat_ if that girl hadn't stepped in-" 

"But I didn't, did I, Ar? Geez- this girl, Isabel, isn't a threat to us- she sure made that clear. And neither is the blonde one or even her brother Levi- don't you think it's better this way? Now we have to figure out how to get out of this mess, sure, though they won't be checking in on us as throughly as all of that because they're all aware we're friends!" 

"But there is someone who'll be keeping strict eyes on us- Farlan, wasn't it?- he knows something's up. We _showed him_ something's up. But I told you once before and I'll tell you once again: he's a thinker. He doesn't just let stuff like this get taken for granted, no- he's going to try to get to the bottom of this, and when he does-" 

Eren twitched. "Our human forms will be revealed to them?" He waited a second to clamber back up onto the feline's fur, settling himself against the cat's soft coat. "Armin, I'm telling you that we shouldn't worry about that," Eren squeaked, jumping to the floor and retrieving a small carrot, munching on it more than happily. "But right now, some place away from the others would be good to let this bit of the curse wear off... Any ideas?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Are you freaking kidding me? We've got all this space to roam around, and you choose the smallest room there is?!" Eren was livid. "Urk... If we're going to be in this closet, at least give me a chance to get higher up before you start growing and all that..." The mouse wasted no time in getting up higher on a shelf. A paw smacked him down, however, before he'd even gotten his hind legs onto the surface.

"Eren, come on. We can't go wandering around in here- it's their space, and we can't just invade it." A small sigh passed his jaws. "Come along then, you little handful- we can go rest ourselves by the couches if you insist..." No sooner had it been said that the cat had jaws holding firmly to the scruff of the mouse's neck, dropping him a small distance away from one of the comfortable-seeming chairs.

"What'll happen if they see us like this, anyways..?" Eren murmured, attempting to resume his search for higher ground and clambering up onto one of the seat cushions. "I mean, besides their suspicious being further aroused."

"They'll probably assume that we're under the influence of the Lurkers- you know, those reptilian things that resulted in the necessity of these forms? The reason we can't remain human all our lives?- and to be honest they're not entirely wrong. They did nearly catch us- perhaps we're lucky to still be alive after this, as animals or not." The cat looked down at the evaporating fur on his body, taking one last look around as he began to feel himself gain a couple inches in height. "They wiped out our memories, too- I completely forgot we were companions before all this until I saw you again at that pet shop... Who knows what we missed?" Even his tail began to grow in length, adjusting painfully to a more human spinal chord. Each and every limb gained some length, double jointed legs reverting back to single ones. His forearms still kept some fur and his claws still remained for a moment, though even those sharp natural weapons disappeared alongside his cat form, leaving behind only sharp fingernails that equaled their durability. Not much time passed by the time he'd finally gotten himself upright, a newly humanized version of his former feline self. "Ah, that's much better. I just hope nobody had to see that..."

Looking back at the couch, he could see the same sort of process had finished with his friend- alas, he retained the same size as before, only an inch or two gained at most. Besides that, he was human. Only a wisp of a tail and a pair of circular ears spoke of his past form, otherwise the exact same race as the cat. His outfit was still intact despite the troubles they'd faced time and time again, feeling the brown leather of his shirt against the gray fur of a vest made from the cats he'd faced not as friendly as his feline companion. His pants were made of similar material to a normal human's, though much much smaller materials were used for their making, even which proved the garment was homemade. In comparison, Armin was dressed much nicer. 

His own garments were made of the same cloth as any human's, initially white materials stained brown and black from the dirt and debris of countless alleyways. Not unlike Eren, he'd stripped some of his own fur into a small vest of his own, though his was far more insulated and warmer than the mouse's. His pants retained a deep gray from its original coloration, though had splotches here and there to prove his life as a stray on the streets. His folded ears and fluffy tail still continued to stand out even in this form, as a mark and reminder of his past tangle with the Lurkers from beneath his relatively neatly-combed bowl cut. 

"None of those three are awake, Armin- I think it might be safe enough to go back around the rooms and settle down for the night," Eren remarked, running a hand through messy brown hair. "I don't think anyone'll notice we've left for the time being-" 

"Who the hell are ya?!" Ere jumped at the sound of the familiar voice coming only a couple feet from where they stood, shocked to hear one of them up and about. What was worse, the fact there was a person who'd heard them, or the fact they were only a little ways out of sight?! It'd only be a few more moments before the one who'd responded so abruptly came out once again... But the voice asked a question from the same root as the first. "I don't remember lettin' anyone in before now- why don't'cha go ahead n' hightail it before I have something to do with it? Ya wouldn't want that, would ya?!" 

Even Eren couldn't help but feel impressed that the same sweet little girl who'd been so determined to keep them safe could be so fierce at a time like this. Not as if he blamed her: he would've done something of the same sort he was sure if someone snuck in with Armin and himself. 

"I'll ask ya again- what are ya doin' here? I'll cut her throat out of it have'ta." Armin felt the remainder of his fur bristle at the sight of polished silver glinting in the darkness. There was indeed something there- was she holding a knife?! _And I thought she was the nice one out of their group...! Alright, I can still turn this around... Maybe if I act like a cat she'll lose suspicion._ It was worth a shot at this point, so the catboy did just that: "Meow?"

Even from where he sat, Armin could tell some of the hostility was letting up. The knife returned to a small string around her waist, turning back into the room for the night. However, she wasn't finished yet, allowing the light of a candle to trail off onto the pair of waiting souls... 

... The candle nearly flew out of her hand in surprise. "Haaaah! I knew there was someone here that shouldn't be! The hell are ya doin' tryin' to mimic the cat, anyways?" And once again that glint of metal shone at the end of the hallway. "I'll tell ya again: you better beat it, or I'll-" 

"What's all this commotion?" Isabel was cut off mid-sentence, lightly pushed out of the way by the other of her comrades. Just by the anxiety in the voice Armin could tell who it was: Farlan. Not long after his inquiry, the strategist flicked on a light to reveal two disturbingly familiar forms...

"Mrrr?"

No words could quite pinpoint the look of complete and utter shock on the man's face. A shaking hand reached up to wipe the sweat off his forehead and rub his eyes clear, blinking once more to check if he was seeing thing. But no- he was more than aware of the startling sight before him: it was unmistakably the cat, though he seemed he had a form he wasn't quite aware of before. Yes, there'd been something up with the feline and the mouse, though he hadn't quite thought something like this would be the answer he was searching for. Now he was aware of the oddities they held, even if they were much much stranger than he'd figured from the start.

"I'm still waitin'." Farlan's eyes directed to the redhead, standing but a few inches from the catboy, knife still raised threateningly. With each and every millimeter closer she went, the cerulean irises of the boy widened a bit more, shuddering noticeably from his spot. "Why are ya here?" The weapon shook a little more with each step closer, unable to hide her nervousness despite her otherwise aggressive demeanor. It took a moment, before the feline finally collected himself enough look her in the eye and speak up:

"M-My name is Armin... We aren't after you... Y-You're the one who let us into the house to begin with, actually..." With another notable shudder that puffed his tail up significantly, a gentle, still-furred hand reached down and scooped up his minuscule companion. "You see, I know this sounds strange, but... I-I'm the cat, see?" His spare hand flicked at one of his folded ears and brushed his fluffy tail to the front, firm yet gentle grasp holding Eren up for her to see clearly. "And Eren here- he's the mouse. We're friends." A small, sheepish grin crept up onto his lips. "Sorry if we scared you, Isabel," the catboy gave a nod in the man's direction, "Farlan."

The look of shock only grew, pausing to contemplate his options before stepping close enough to the boy to get a good look at him. An expectant eyebrow raised for a moment, collecting his bearings before placing his own concerns on the table. "So you've been laying low as common animals?" An annoyed sigh passed his lips. "This better not have anything to do with Lurker witchcraft..."

"W-Well... Not, erm... Not directly." Placing Eren on his lap, Armin wrung his tail as he attempted to think of an explanation. Anxious at the look of puzzled, almost hostile stares, he gritted his teeth and continued. "I'm actually not sure what happened entirely, though we were no slaves to those monsters I promise you. From what hasn't been wiped from memory- whatever caused it appears to have a pretty significant memory loss side effect- I believe Eren and I were going around to their territory unknowingly, and one of them might've thrown a vial of two at us. I forget if it was the same vial or not, though I believe it must've been something to do with the creature correlating our personalities... Though it's been a while and I'm not certain." Cerulean eyes gazed up expectantly at the man in front of him. "So you see, we weren't ever in their grasp, and I doubt they're looking for us if that's your concern, but..." Hands twisted his tail a little tighter. "We might need some help getting back to normal..."

"I take it you're still not accustomed to those forms?" Farlan sighed, extending a hand to help the catboy to his feet. "And what on earth were you doing in Lurker territory? There's a reason all are told not to go those routes- surely you've heard of them?" Armin nodded. 

"But of course! Though I'm afraid such admonitions never quite reached us at the time. I believe it must've been a relatively new living space, though, since there weren't any signs, and Eren here thought it'd be a quicker way home. We lived just a little bit away from our residence when we caught sight of one of them: slender in form; scales as sleek and cold as stone; and narrow jaws that could easily swallow a person up- whole. We tried to run and get away from it, though it seems the beast we came across was a magical sort, and hurled a couple potions at us. The effect? I think you're able to tell about now," Armin explained, tugging at the yellow fur of his vest. "I'm just grateful they let us go on and allowed us to keep our clothes as well..."

Armin squinted and Eren gave a moan of discomfort as the overhanging lights came on, revealing them once more. "Mind explaining what's going on out here?" The calm in the blonde catboy's eyes evaporated at the sight of the third familiar figure. For a few moments, he didn't seem to notice the pair, meaning it might've been a hint to sneak off before anyone else discovered their true forms. "Isabel, you were supposed to be asleep by now. What on earth are you doing up at this hour? It's the middle of the night."

The redhead didn't say anything for a moment, emerald eyes shifting to look at the semi-human beings behind her. "I'm up 'cause these two woke me," Isabel mumbled, pointing to the pair attempting to sneak off. "Says they ran into some sorta Lurker magic that got them like this. This the cat n' mouse, apparently." Her tone leaked with skepticism, giving a heavy sigh before looking back at them.

"Well, how the hell else are you going to explain this, hmm?" Eren's voice was exploding with spite, crossing his arms firmly over his chest and baring his teeth at the thug. "This isn't anything you can explain from science or any of that, no, I don't think so. This is magic, it's the truth, and the sooner you believe it is the better off you're going to be." The brunette clambered up onto the feline's head, emerald eyes squinted in pure annoyance at the girl's refusal to believe them. "And don't think I would've gotten these dumb ears and tail, or this freaking height by choice, believe me- I would've chosen something much larger than this if we had access to any magic." With every word the mouseboy spoke, it seemed as if a bit of his own hostility was stripped from his voice. "We were mere victims of the wrong path, I swear," Eren concluded in an almost begging tone. "Please- you've gotta believe us."

Levi's gaze shifted, from the pair of animalistic teens to his own companions. Isabel had long since ditched the knife by now, and Farlan's worry seemed to be going through a cycle of evaporation and repair- the moment he relaxed enough, another surge of anxiety would undertake him from underneath his calm exterior barriers. Even despite this, he was typically a good judge of what was right to take up and what would be best left behind; surely, Farlan would have some understanding of whether the strange boys in the room were honest and trustworthy? Silver gaze turned to his, looking up and giving him an expectant "what do you think" sort of look.

Farlan ran a hand through his hair. "Well, there's no telling whether they're honest about the Lurkers and their role in all of this-" 

Eren gave a growl of impatience in response. "Right, because the exact thing I want to be stuck as is a itty bitty snack for anything that can come across me. Do you really think I want to be running my whole life and having to hide in Armin here's maw just so I don't become something's lunch? Would anyone really choose that? I swear we don't have any magic on us, and we never did. The whole Lurker thing was entirely, purely an accident, and not something I want to go over a thousand times- it's not a memory I want to keep reiterating."

A small sigh passed the man's lips. "I suppose they do seem genuine... Their reasoning is pretty legitimate. I'd say it'd be alright to trust them- for now, at least, or until we have a reason not to."

Levi's cold gaze never faltered, never ceased in intensity or ferocity, yet it softened a little bit with this view exposed to him. Yes, they didn't seem to be hostile, and it was certainly true that a mouse was the last thing he'd expect someone to choose as their secondary- or in this case, it seemed primary- form. It was also true that their personalities were pretty similar from the mouse and the cat: it wasn't long at all after that he saw the smaller person skidding down into the gentle grasp of the catboy's palm. "Alright, then- you're welcome to stay for now," Levi stated. "Just try not to make a mess, and-" His calm gaze flickered to disgust at the feline's attempt to place the smaller boy into his mouth once again. "- That's vile. Don't you have another way to carry him around safely?"

Armin froze. "Well, I suppose there are a couple places as a human- but I possess no pockets, and there are times I need my hands all the while. Most of the time, really. As a cat, I've got nowhere, for all four paws are needed for getting around any place. I don't really have many options, I'm afraid..." Armin looked up once again, ears folded back in worry. "...Sir."

Only a small sigh met his acknowledgement. "Hold on just a second- I think I have something that might suffice." Without a word, he strode into another room to retrieve the item in question. 

The perplexity in the feline's eyes was obvious at this point, somewhat baffled at how easily he seemed to accept their true identities. It'd no doubt take the other two a while to adjust, though at least one of them was able to accept it without much question. Maybe things would go better than he expected... 

It wasn't long until he heard the faint clicking of boots getting nearer, revealing the figure of the shorter man once again, a small handbag dangling loosely from one hand. "Here, try and see if that doesn't suit your needs better. Can't imagine your friend enjoys being toted around in your jaws, anyways- sounds no less than foul to me," Levi mumbled, thrusting the bag out to the grateful catboy, giving him a small nod before sliding it around one arm. "Thank you, Sir."

"You can just refer to me as Levi if you wish, cat. It doesn't make much difference what you decide to call me, anyways," came the dark-haired man's monotoned response. For the most part, it wasn't difficult to tell he had some mixed feelings about the cat's residence in their home, and feelings even more scrambled with living alongside a mouse, of all creatures. "All I require is that you try to behave yourself, keep the rodent out of your mouth and do what you can to help us." An eyebrow quirked. "I understand you have an advantage at stealing things with your animal forms, do you not? I can't imagine you've been raised in the lap of luxury if you have the time to spare down here."

The cat gave a small nod. "Y-Yes, Levi... Eren and I both know how to scrounge and pilfer for a decent meal. I'm sure you'd know this better than most, living down here... I mean, I-I'm assuming you're bandits or something like that...? Most of the Underground civilians are, I've noticed..."

"Yes, we take what's necessary to survive- so what, kitty cat?" Isabel piped up, leaning over to stroke one of the feline's fuzzy ears. "Don't'cha do the same thing down here? Can't imagine people just leave stuff out fer strays out here, heh. Far as most of the people down here are concerned, a stray beast is the equivalent to vermin that'll steal away all the food n' take over their houses." Her curiosity only heightened as the cat flinched away, ears flattening as he reached over for his rodent companion. "Can ya actually feel that, kitty?" All hostility was replaced with the teasing charisma of the teen she was- good, so now he had two people on his side, even if one of them was alerting his senses a bit more than he would've liked.

"Yes, I can feel that! Hey- cut that out," Armin pleaded with mild annoyance, struggling to get away from her grasp. "No, they typically turn us away and chase us away. Eren at least got used to getting some food and storing it away from the pet shop he ended up in, but I've never been as lucky. Normally I just search the ground and hope to find anything I can, but you can hardly call snatching up scraps 'stealing,' now, can you?" A hand slipped behind his ear, scratching at it lightly to get rid of an itch. "Though I know enough to possibly be of use to you three..."

"We can hash out the details later. Right now, it's probably best you get as much rest as you can- Armin, is it? Until we get a spot laid out for you, feel free to sleep on the couches, and you're welcome to leave the house at any time if you want to look for food or observe your surroundings or whatnot. Just promise me one other thing-"

The feline's ears perked up slightly. "Y-Yes, Levi-Sir?" 

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Don't attract attention. The last thing we need are people finding our hideout. Not a whisper of this to anyone, either- if we're found helping a pair like you, we'll both be in deep shit." A small, slightly annoyed sigh passed his lips. "Just try to stay out of trouble, will you?"


End file.
